On Thursday, 07 July 2022, Wild Coast Sun Casino and Resort visited two homes for physically challenged children in Ward 20, at Redoubt location and Ward 26 in Nomlacu, Bizana. Namely, Ikhaya LeMbizana NPO and Umzuuvukile NPO. This follows after a visit by Sun International’s only beach resort, the Wild Coast Sun on Easter monday, where the 4 star casino’s general manager Peter Tshidi together with Honorable Mayor TD Mafumbatha pledged their support to both schools.
Wild Coast Sun and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Local Municipality mayor had identified these two schools in efforts to give children with disabilities the Easter Experience, something which children without disabilities enjoy every Easter.
According to statistics an estimated 600,000 children with disabilities remain out of school in South Africa, but the government has not published accurate data. In 2015, according to government data, nearly 121,500 learners with disabilities were in “ordinary” schools. Over 119,500 learners were enrolled in special schools and, in 2017, close to 11,500 children with disabilities were on waiting lists to enroll in special schools.
Umzuvukule NPO is based in the old Ethridge JSS and currently has an enrollment of about 30 children. The majority of learners were on shcool holidays but seven (7) of the children were present during the Wild Coast Sun and Mayor’s handover of:
- Bedding
- Towels
- Soccer balls
- Toys
- Food parcels and lunch packs.
Mr Irvin Shange, Wild Coast Sun’s operations manager said they visited the two schools because its winter and the bad weather conditions inspired them to make this donation. Mr Shange also formerly introduced the new SED and Community Engagement manager, Mr Bandile Mdliva who is very well-known for his passion and love for community work.
SGB member and former principal of Luna JSS, Mr NJ Magidela on behalf of the community thanked the principal of the school for her dedication. Adding that, the community needs to support the school stuff and be patient in the process of seeking assistance.
The Honerable Mayor T.D Mafumbatha said, “this shows that there is light at the end because not so long ago we were at these two schools during Easters and we are here again to hand-over this donation by the Wild Coast Sun. Petrol SA has also promised to help the schools once the sites have been secured.”
“The hand-over is part of the annual 67 minutes in commemoration of Nelson Mandela’s legacy through the Wild Coast Sun’s SED department.” – said Bandile Mdliva the newly appointed SED & Community Engagement manager.
Speaking on behalf of parents, Mrs Majola said Ikhaya Lembizana is a great school as they bare a huge responsibility to take care of disabled children. The school is doing a great job and as parents they do see improvement in their children’s development. The mother of Odwa Majola, Majola says sometimes as parents of disabled children we get frustrated with sleepless nights, asking God why he gave us these children but she thanked Ikhaya Lembizana for taking good care of her disabled child.
During the handover in Ward 26, Honerable Mayor T.D Mafumbatha said when people talk about service delivery they only think about water, roads, electricity and the likes; forgetting the disabled children. We are very grateful for the donation by the Wild Coast Sun to these two schools.
The principal of Ikhaya LeMbizana in Ward 26, Mrs N. Mzele, the principal of the school said “we are an NPO that does not close, our doors are always open”. Parents of the disabled children need councalleing and patience so they can be able to help their children improve speech, growth and child development.
Mzele also mentioned that, they do not own the current school location and they do have a site with paperwork sorted. They are in need of 7 more certificates in order to be fully recognized but for them to get these certificates they need to operate from a location that the NPO owns.
Those who wish to donate to these two organizations must not hesitate to email:
